Die-casting machine



Jan. 16, 1934. N. LESTER DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1930 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Z'TOR/YE Ys WIT/1E .s's

Jan. 16,1934.fi 'f N. LESTER, 1 1,943,630

DIE CASTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 27, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan.16, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIE-CASTING MACHINE ApplicationOctober 27, 1930. Serial No. 491,583

21 Claims.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements indie-casting machines, and pertains more particularly to that class ofapparatus in which all of the working parts are actuated by fluidpressure.

The main objects of this invention are the production of a die-castingmachine adapted to make castings from brass, aluminum or othermaterials, and which is'rigidly and durably constructed, is rapid andpositive in operation and which may be readily and easily controlled.

In carrying out these objects, I have provided a vertically disposed,novelly constructed delivery pot in which is mounted for reciprocativemovement, a discharge plunger actuated by fluid under pressure topositively force themolten metal into the die cavity. The die ispositioned above the delivery pot and is moved vertically to bring itinto and out of casting relation with the delivery pot.

The die is composed of two sections arranged in superposed relation andis mounted and actuated in such a manner that when the die is beingmoved away from the delivery pot to permit the entrance of a freshsupply of casting materials into the pot, the die. sections will bespaced to permit the removal of the casting fashioned therein, and asthe die is moved into casting relation with the delivery pot, the diesections will again be brought into engagement With each other forreceiving the charge of molten metal forced from the delivery pot by theplunger.

These movements of the die are effected by fluid under pressure actingupon the die through the medium of a piston and a toggle mechanismconnecting the die with the piston in such a manner that when the die isin casting relation with the delivery pot, saidtoggle mechanism willform a lock for positively maintaining said die and pot in engagementduring the casting operation and thereby premitting the molten metal tobe forced into the die under high pressure and at a relatively lowdegree of temperature, thus eliminating substantially all air from themetal and thereby producing a more perfect casting.

A further advantage in this invention resides in the control which itaffords of the molten metal during the casting operation in that thedischarge of the metal from the pot may be instantaneously governed whenthe shot is being made and thereby providing means forthe elimination ofserious accidents which might otherwise occur in case a die sectionshould be accidentally omitted or if, for any reason, an inadequateconnection exists between the die and delivery pot at the time of adischarge of the metal.

Another object is to provide a simply con- 0 structed unitary valvemechanism which may be quickly and easily operated for governing all of.the various moving units of the machine whereby they may be controlledin their regular order of operation.

Other objects and advantages relate to the form and relation of thedetails of the structure, all as will more fully appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawingsin which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a die-casting machine embodying thevarious features of this invention and showing certain portions thereofbroken away to more clearly illustrate the construction and operationthereof, and which is shown with the various members thereof in the openor inoperative position.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the machine taken substantiallyin the plane of the line 22, Figure 3, with the various members thereofin the casting position.

Figure 3 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken substantiallyin the plane of the line 3-3, Figure 2. v

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken on line 44, Figure3, and illustrating the construction of a unitary valve mechanism forcontrolling the various moving elements of the apparatus.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, Figure 3, through one ofthe swivel joints.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 6-6, Figure2.

Figure 7 is a vertical section taken in the plane of'the line'7-7,Figure 2.

The apparatus, as illustrated in the drawings, consists of asubstantially rectangular base 1 adapted to be mounted upon a suitablesupporting bed, not shown.

The base 1 has a pair of its opposite vertical '10o walls 2 providedwith relatively large rectangular openings 3 therethrough while theupper portion of the base 1 is provided with a substantially flathorizontally disposed surface 4 which, in this instance, is madeintegral with the side walls 2 and 5 of the base to form a convenientbed plate for the machine.

The central portion of the bed plate 4 is provided with a slightlyraised portion or platform 6, rectangular in plan view and which has1.10

the central portion thereof cut away to form a pair of flanges 7 whichextend along opposite sides of the platform 6 transversely of the bedplate 4 in a direction extending between the vertical walls 5 of thebase 1. The inner opposed vertical faces of the flanges 7 are arrangedin parallel spaced relation to form guideways for a novel delivery potor plunger box 8 which will hereinafter be more fully explained.

Secured to or made integral with the bed plate 4 is a pendant bracket 9positioned centrally of the bed plate 4 and which is provided at itslower end with a rectangular plate 10 adapted to form one of the headmembers of a cylinder 11 and for this purpose, the central portion ofthe undersurface of the head plate 10 is recessed at 12 to receive oneend of the cylinder 11.

A similar recessed head plate 13 is positioned at the other or lower endof the cylinder 11, and the cylinder and the two head plates 10 and '13are clamped together in operative position by a plurality of, in thisinstance six, tie bolts 14 which pass through suitable holes provided inthe lower end plate 13 and are screw-threaded in similar threaded holesin the upper head plate 10.

Each of these head plates '10 and 13 is provided with a respectivepassage or port 15 and 16. Each of these ports have one end thereof incommunication with the interior of the cylinder 11, while each of theiropposite ends is connected by respective conduits 17 and 18 with a novelunitary control valve 19 hereinafter more fully described.

In the cylinder 11 is mounted for reciprocative movement, a suitablepiston 20 connected with the piston rod 21 which extends upwardlythrough a suitable opening 22 provided in the upper end plate 10 and hasthe upper end thereof rigidly connected with a discharge plunger.

23. The plunger 23, in this instance, is an elongated block of metalsubstantially square in cross section and extends upwardly through asimilarly formed opening 24 provided at the center of the bed plate4'and platform 6.

The delivery pot or plunger box 8 hereinbefore referred to, is composedof two similar half-portions 25 having their lower end edges providedwith outwardly extending flanges 26 adapted to travel between the guidemembers 7 of the platform 6, said flanges 26 being of substantially thesame thickness as the height of the guides '7 so that the plunger boxsections 25 may be maintained in sliding relation with the platform 6 bymeans of a guide plate 27 secured by bolts or screws 28 to the upperface of each of the flange members 7.

Each of the plunger box sections 25 extend upwardly some distance beyondthe upper face of the guide plates 2'7 and have their inner opposedvertical faces 29 formed substantially flat and smooth so that thesections may be brought into liquid-tight engagement with each other.Each of these faces 29 is also, provided with a vertically disposedcentrally located V-slot 30 so constructed that when the plunger boxsections 25 are brought into contact with the each other, said slotswill form a substantially square opening 31 extending upwardly throughthe plunger box 8 of substantially the same cross sectional area as theplunger 23 for receiving said plunger upon the upward movement of thepiston 20, and when the plunger 23 is in the lower position asillustrated in Figure 2, said opening 31 will form r a convenientdelivery pot for receiving molten metal prior to the casting operation.

Each of these plunger box sections 25 is pivotally connected at 32 withone end of an operating link 33 which has the opposite end thereofpivotally mounted upon a pin 34 carried by the free ends of a pair ofrock arms 35 which are positioned one at either side of the link 33 andare secured to a suitable rock shaft 36 pivotally mounted in a pair ofbrackets 37 which are secured at opposite sides of and extend upwardlyfrom the base 1, as illustrated more clearly in Figure 3. V

' Each of the rock shafts 36 have one end thereof extending outwardlybeyond the adjacent bracket 3'7 for receiving a respective crank arm 39which is secured to the rock shaft 36 for rotating said shaft. Each ofthese rock arms have their outer or free ends pivotally connected at 40to the upper end of a yoke 41 which, in turn, is connected with a pistonrod 42 which extends downwardly from the rock arms 39 with the lowerends thereof positioned in a respective cylinder 43 and connected with asuitable piston 44 mounted in said cylinder.

Each of these pistons 43 is located at a respective side of the base 1adjacent a vertical wall 5 thereof and is provided with a pair ofsusbstantially rectangular end plates 45 and 46 positionedone at eitherend of the cylinder.

The cylinder 43 and end plates 45 and 46 are clamped together by aplurality of, in this instance, four tie bolts 4'7 which extend upwardlythrough suitable openings provided in the head plate 46 positioned atthe lower end of the cylinders 43 and screw-threaded in the upperpositioned head plate 45. Each of the head plates 45 and 46 are alsoprovided with respective passages or ports 47 and 48 in communicationwith the interior of the cylinder 43.

The ports 4'7 and 48 positioned in the cylinder 43 located at the righthand side of the base 1, as viewed in Figures 1, 2 and 3, are connectedrespectively by conduits 49 and 50 with a second pair of conduits 51 and52 which, in turn, are

connected with the control valve 19 in a manner hereinafter more fullyexplained.

The ports 47 and 48 positioned in the cylinder 43 located at the lefthand side of the base 1 are, in like manner, connected by respectiveconduits 53 and 54 with the conduits 51 and 52. Each of the upperpositioned head plates 45 are provided with a suitable central openingtherethrough for receiving the respective piston rods 42. The lowerpositioned head plates 46 are each provided with a relatively flatdownwardly extending lug 55 which has an opening therethrough forreceiving pins 56 which, in turn, are

mounted at their ends in a pair of respective outwardly projecting lugs5'7 secured to or made integral with the adjacent vertical wall 5 of thebase 1.

These lugs 55 and 57, together with the pins 56 form a pivotal supportfor the respective cylinders 43 to permit the rocking movement of saidcylinders during the swinging movement of the respective rock arms 39which are moved by the action of the liquid in the cylinders 43 upon therespective pistons 44 for rotating the rock shafts 36 for the purpose ofmoving the plunger box sections 25 into and out of engagement with eachother through the medium of the respective links 33 and rock arms 39 forthe purpose of releasing any metal which may remain in the delivery pot31 after the casting has been formed.

commences its downward movement and,- for' this reason, the plunger boxsections 25 are each provided with a recess or groove 59 which extendsaround the V-shaped openings 30 near the upper end of the delivery pot31. In other words, as the plunger 23 reaches the limit of its upwardstroke after having forced the molten metal from the delivery pot 31into the die as 60,.

whatever excess metal remains in the delivery pot will, of course, fillthe groove 59 and will become solidified by the time the plunger 23commences its downward movement, and therefore the excess metal will bemaintained at the upper end of the delivery pot in connection with thesprue, so that as the die 60 is moved away from casting engagement withplunger box sections- 25, the excess metal held by said sections will bebroken loose from the sprue, after which this metal is released by thesections for removal as said plunger box sections are moved outwardly bythe action of the fluid upon the pistons in the cylinders 43.

The die 60, as is usual in this class of a machine, is constructed oftwo sections 60' and 60". The lower positioned die section 60' isprovided with a gate or sprue-forming passage 61 therethrough which,whenthe dies are in the casting position, has one end in communicationwith the interior of the delivery pct 31 and the other end thereofcommunicating with the die 'cavity formed in the other die section 60".

The die section 60 containing the sprueforming passage, that is, thesprue die section, is secured by any suitable means, as by screws 62, toa die-supporting plate 63 which we will call the sprue die-supportingplate. The other die section 60" is provided with suitable openingstherethrough for receiving a plurality of ejector pins 64 and, for thisreason, we will term this portion of the die, the ejector die section.This ejector die section is secured by screws 65 or other suitablemeans, to a die-supporting plate 66 which we will term the ejectordie-supporting plate. This ejector plate 66 is provided with suitableopenings therethrough for receiving thefejector pins 64 which, in thisinstance, extend upwardly through the ejector plate 66 and are securedto and operated by an ejector head 67 which will hereinafter be morefully described.

The ejector plate 66, in this instance, is substantially rectangular inplan view and is pro-' vided at each outer corner thereof with anupwardly extending boss '70 each of which is provided with a verticallydisposed opening for receiving a respective guide rail 71 which extendsvertically upwardly from the base 1.

The guide rails 71 are arranged a uniform distance apart and are locatedat the comers of an imaginary rectangle near the outer corners of thebed plate 4 as illustrated in Figure 3. The rails are secured to and aresupported by the base 1 and, for this reason, the lower ends 71' of therails are reduced in diameter and extend downwardly through suitableopenings in the base 1 and are secured to said base by nuts 72screw-threaded on the lower ends of the rails.

The sprue die plate 63 is also rectangular in plan view and has securedthereto at each corner thereof an upwardly extending vertically disposedsupporting rod 73 which have their lower ends reduced in diameter andextending through corresponding holes in die plate 63 to which therodsare ,secured by nuts 74 screwthreaded on the lower end of the rods73.

These supporting rods 73 extend upwardly from the die plate 63 throughsuitable openings provided in the die plate 66 and up through openingsaligned with the openings in the die plate 66 provided in the diesupporting head plate 75 to which the rods 73 are adjustably secured bymeans of nuts 76 screw-threaded on the upper ends of the rods 73 andpositioned above and below the die-supporting head 75 for the purpose ofproperly positioning the sprue die section 60' in casting relation withthe delivery pot 31 as will be hereinafter more apparent.

The die-supporting head 75, like the ejector die plate 66, is providedwith, in this instance four, vertically disposed bosses 77 positioned atthe corners of a rectangle and which are provided with openingstherethrough for receiving a respective guide rail 71 upon which thehead 75 is slidably mounted. This die-supporting head 75 also supportsthe ejector die section in' a manner hereinafter explained and which, inturn, is supported by the base 1 in the following manner: Upon each ofthe rock shafts 36 (see Figure 3) and positioned between the respectiverock arms 34, is rotatably mounted a rock arm 79 which has ahorizontally disposed opening therethrough for receiving the rock shaft36 and another opening 79' positionedat one side and extending at rightangles to the first-mentioned opening for receiving therethrough one endof a supporting rod 80.

These supporting rods 80 are each adjustably secured to the respectiverock arms 79 by means of two nuts 81 screw-threaded on the rods andpositioned one at either side of the respective rock arm 79.

These. supporting rods 80 extend upwardly from their respectivesupporting rock arms 79 and each rod has its upper end pivotallyconnected at 82 to one end of a respective rock arm 83 for the purposeof pivotally supporting the die-supporting head 75 and the operatingmechanism connected therewith to permit the vertical movement of the die60 in the following novel manner: Each of the rock arms 83 extendinwardly from the pivot 82 between a pair of spaced downwardly extendinglugs 84 which are, in this instance, made integral with the underface ofthe die-supporting head 75 and the arms 83 are pivotally connected tothe respective pairs of lugs and, therefore, to the head 75 by means ofrespective pins 85 which are secured to said lugs and upon which therock arms 83 are pivotally mounted. These rock arms 83 also extendinwardly from each of their pivotal connections 85 with the head 75 andhave their inner ends curved concentrically with the respective pins 85and terminating in spaced relation.

These curved inner faces of the rock arms 83 are each provided with gearteeth '86 which are in meshing engagement with respective sides of adouble-faced rack member 87. This rack member 87 is slidably mounted ina T guide slot 88 formed in one vertical face of an upwardly extendingarm 89 secured to or made integral with the upper face of the ejectorplate 66.

This rack member 87 is also connected with a piston 90 mounted forreciprocative movement in a cylinder 91 by means of a piston rod 92which has the lower outer end thereof extended through a suitableopening provided in a lug 87 secured to or made integral with the outerface of the rack 87.

The rod 92 is adjustably secured to the lug 8'7 by means of nuts 94screw-threaded on the lower end of the rod 92 and positioned at eitherside of the boss 8'7.

The cylinder 91, in this instance, is positioned above thedie-supporting head 75, which has an upwardly extending bracket 95secured to or made integral with the upper face of said head. The upperend 95' of this bracket 95 is substantially square in plan view and isprovided with an annular recess 95" in which is positioned one end ofthe cylinder 91 to form one head plate therefor. The other end of thecylinder 91 is provided with a head plate 96 similar in plan view to theend plate 95' of the bracket 95 and which is also provided with anannular recess 96' for receiving the outer end of the cylinder 91.

The cylinder 91 and the head plate 96 are secured in operative relationwith each other and with the bracket 95 and, therefore, with thedie-supporting head by means of four clamping bolts 9'7, which extendthrough suitable openings provided in the head plate 96 near the cornersthereof and screw-threaded into the upper end of the bracket 95.

.The head plate 96, in this instance, is provided with a passage or port98 communicating with .the interior of the cylinder and which isconnected by a suitable conduit 99 with the valve member 19. Thecylinder 91 is also provided with another port 100 located in the sidewall thereof near the other or inner end of the cylinder and which isconnected by a conduit 101 with the said valve 19.

The outer end 95' of the bracket 95 is provided with a suitable centralopening for receiving the piston rod 92 which extends downwardly to therack 8'7 through an opening 102 provided in the die-supporting head '75.This opening is also large enough to permit the rack 8'7 to passtherethrough during the upward movement of said rack.

It may now be clearly understood that with the piston 90 and rack 87positioned at the end of the downward stroke and with the teeth of therack engaging the teeth 86 of the rock arms 83, as illustrated in Figure2, that the die-supporting head '75 will be maintained a predetermineddistance from the bed plate 4 by the supporting rods 80. If, however,pressure is applied to the lower face of the piston 90 to cause saidpiston to move upwardly in the cylinder 91, it is also evident that thedie-supporting head will be,moved upwardly along the guide rails '71 bythe action of the rack upon the rock arms 83 but to a lesser degree dueto the rack 8'7 causing said arms 83 to rock upwardly about the pivots82 which will, of course, carry the pivotal pins and, therefore, thedie-supporting head '15 upwardly. This upward movement of thedie-supporting head '75 will be of a less distance than the upwardmovement of the piston and rack 87, due to the difference in the radialdistance of the teeth 86 and the pins 85 from the respective pivots 82.In other words, the distance from the pivotal pins 82 to the respectiveteeth 8'7 being greater than the distance from said pivots to the pins85, the rack 8'7 will, of course, have to move upwardly a greaterdistance than the pins 85 in order to bring the pins 85 to apredetermined height.

It will be noted that during this vertical movement of thedie-supporting head '75 along the guide rails '71 that pins 85 uponwhich the rock arms 83 are rotatably mounted, will travel in straightparallel planes and that as the rock arms 83 and die-supporting head '75move upwardly or downwardly vertically, said rock arms will rock aboutthe axis of the pins 85 and cause a slight rocking movement of thesupportin rods 80. This rocking movement of the rods 80 is permitted bythe pivotal mounting of the rock arm '79 uponthe respective shafts 36and, therefore, upon the base 1. This vertical movement of thedie-supporting head will produce a like movement of the sprue diesection 60 through the medium of the sprue die plate 63 and the tie rods'73 for bringing the sprue die into and out of casting relation with thedelivery pct 31 and will also produce a vertical movement of the ejectordie section 60 and the ejector die plate 66 relatively to the deliverypot 31 and also to the sprue die section 60' through the medium of atoggle mechanism 103 in the following manner: One end of each of thepins 85 is extended outwardly beyond the respective supporting lugs 84and has pivotally mounted thereon a link member 104 which has pivotallyconnected therewith at 105 one end of an arm 106 which extendsdownwardly some distance from the pivot 105 and has the other endthereof pivotally connected at 107 to one end of a second link 108which, in turn, is pivotally connected at 109 to upwardly projectinglugs 110 made integral with the upper face of the ejector die plate 66.

To each of the arms 106 intermediate the ends thereof, is pivotallysecured at 111 an ejector head member 6'7 which is positionedintermediate the arms 106 and is provided with a T- flange 112 on therear vertical face thereof which is slidably mounted in the T-guide 88provided in the arm 89 so that the ejector head 67 is free to movevertically upwardly or downwardly and, at the same time, provides apivotal support for the arms 106 at 111 about which said arms may rockduring the flexing movement of the toggle mechanism.

The adjacent ends of each of the arms 106 and links 108 are providedwith abutting shoulders 106' and 108' adapted, when the pivots of thelinks 104 and 108 and arms 106 are in the same straight line forpreventing the movement of said links and arms in one direction.

It will be noted by referring to Figures 2 and 6 that the links 104 areconnected with the respective rock arm 83 by means of a pair ofshouldered screws 114 which pass through elongated slots 115 provided inthe arms 83 and are screw-threaded in the adjacent portion of the links104 to permit an initial movement of the rock arms 83. In other words,the screw and slotted connection between the rock arms 83 and the links104 is for the purpose of permitting a certain amount of rockingmovement of the arms 83 to lift both die sections 60' and 60" a certaindistance from the delivery pot 31 before the links 104 are actuated tocollapse the toggle mechanism 103 and thereby produce a relativevertical movement of said die sections, for as is evident, as soon asthe links 104 and 108 and the arm 106 begin the collapsible or foldingmovement, the ejector supporting plate 66 and therefore the ejector die60" will be moved upwardly at a greater speed than that of the upwardtravel of the die-supporting head '75 and therefore, the sprue diesection 60'.

This folding movement of the toggle mechanism will also produce arelative movement between the ejector die plate 66 and, therefore, theejector die and the ejector head 67 which will cause the ejector plate66 and the ejector die 60" to travel upwardly relatively to the ejectorpins 64 which will cause said pins to extend downwardly through theejector die 60" and thereby produce the ejection of the casting fromsaid die, as illustrated in Figure 1.

It is also evident that as the toggle mechanism assumes the extendedposition as shown in Figure 2, with the pivots 85, 105, 107 and 109 ofeach set of links and arms in the same vertical plane, that said togglemechanism will constitute a rigid connection between the die-supportinghead and the ejector die plate 66 which will constitute a lock forrigidly maintaining the ejector die section 60" in contact with thesprue die section 60' during the ejection of the molten metal from thedelivery pot into,

the die cavity.

The control valve 19 hereinbefore mentioned, may be of any suitableconstruction for controlling the flow of the fluid to and from each ofthe cylinders of the machine but it is preferable that the valve shouldbe so constructed that this ,control may be accomplished by actuating asingle lever, and for this purpose, I have illustrated a simplyconstructed mechanism, as illustrated more particularly in Figure 4.This valve consists of a body member 118 which is substantiallyrectangular in cross section and is provided with a centrally locatedpiston chamber 119 which extends longitudinally through said body.

The ends of the piston chamber 119 may be closed by any suitable meansas by gland members 120 and 121 which may be secured to the body 118 inany suitable manner as by screws 122.

One of the gland members as 121 is provided with a suitable longitudinalopening therethrough for receiving a piston rod 123 which has the innerend thereof secured to a suitable piston 124 and the other or outer endof the rod is secured to a suitable actuating member such as the rack125 which, in this instance, is guided in a longitudinal opening 126formed in a lug 127 secured to or made integral with a suitablelever-supporting bracket as 128 which, in this instance, may be securedto or made integral with the gland member 121.

The body 118 of the valve 19 is also provided with an inlet port 130which extends through the upper wall of the body midway between the endsthereof and two outlet ports 131 positioned in the lower portion of thebody 118 adjacent the ends of the piston chamber 119. These outlet ports131 communicate with a common passage 132 which is connected to anoutlet pipe as 133 for returning the fluid to the source of supply.

In the upper portion of the body 118 there is also formed a pluralityof, in this instance six, control ports 134 which are formed in twogroups consisting of three ports each, with a group positioned at eachside of the inlet port 130 longitudinally of the body 118. The inletport 130 and each of the control ports 134 communicate with the interiorof the piston chamber 119 through the medium of annular recesses orgrooves 135 and 136 respectively.

The piston 124 is substantially smaller in diameterthan the pistonchamberllQ with the exception of two annular outwardly extending portcontrol flanges 124' and 124" positioned near the ends of the piston 124and spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the distance betweenthe outer edge of either one of the outer positioned control portopenings 136 and the opposite face of the inlet port opening 135, itbeing understood that the ports 134 are spaced substantially equaldistances apart and from the inlet port 130 so that the interveningflanges or ribs 138 formed by the recesses 135 and 136 are substantiallyequal in width and that the port control flanges 124' and 124" on thepiston 124 are each substantially equal in width to the width of theribs 138, so that when the piston 124 is in the extreme position at oneend or the other of the piston chamber 119, all of the control ports atthe end of the body 118 in which the piston is located, will be incommunication through the piston chamber 119 with the intake port 130while all of the control ports 134 positioned at the opposite side ofthe inletport 130 will be in communication with the outlet or exhaustport 131. It is, therefore, evident that as the piston 124 is movedtoward the opposite end of the piston chamber 119, that the controlports formerly in communication with the inlet port 130, will besuccessively cut off from the inlet port and connected with the exhaustport 130 positioned at the adjacent end of the piston chamber while thecontrol ports formerly in communication with the exhaust port will besuccessively cut oil from the exhaust port and brought intocommunication with the inlet port 130.

This movement of the piston 124 from one position to another isaccomplished, in this instance, by a simply constructed control lever140 pivoted at 141 to the bracket 128. The lever 140 extends below thepivot 141 and has the inner end thereof made concentric with the pivot140 and provided with gear teeth 142 which are in meshing engagementwith the teeth of the rack 125.

The bracket 128 is provided with a circular slot 143 positioned abovethe pivot 141 and made concentric therewith for receiving an L-shapedlatch pawl 144 which is slidably mounted in a groove 145 provided in thelever 140. The upper periphery of the slot 143 is provided with aplurality of, in this instance four, radial slots 143 corresponding tothe number of diiferent positions the piston 124 is to assume so thatthe piston may be maintained in a predetermined position by the latch144 engaging a respective slot 143.

The latch 144 may be yieldingly maintained in any one of these slots 143by means of a spring 146 and rod 147 slidably mounted in the lever 140and connected with the latch 144.

In order to permit the pivotal movement of the cylinders 43 forcontrolling the positioning of the plunger box sections 25 and thevertical movements of the cylinder 91 necessary for operating the diesections 60 and 60", it is necessary to provide the conduits leadingfrom said cylinders to the control valve 19 with means for permittingthe relative pivotal movements of certain portions of said conduits andfor this purpose, there is provided at advantageous points in saidconduits a desired number of swivel joints as 150.

In the operation of a die-casting machine of this class, it has beenfound diflicult to provide a suitable swivel joint to permit the freerelative movements of the conduit and, at the same time, prevent leakageof the fluid at these points due 150 to the extremely high pressure inwhich the fluid is used. Figure 5, however, illustrates a simplyconstructed swivel joint which has been found to meet the requirements.This joint consists of a body 151 having one end thereof rigidlyconnected with one end of a conduit as C, while a companion conduit Chaving its inner end provided with an annular flange 152 is journaled inthe opposite end of the body 151 with the flange extending beyond and incontact with an inwardly extending annular flange 153 formed in the body151 intermediate the ends thereof.

Suitable packing as 154 is positioned at the opposite side of the flange153 and maintained in a fluid-tight manner with the walls of the conduit0' by means of a follower nut 165 screwthreaded in the adjacent end ofthe body 151.

Operation It will be noted that each of the cylinders 11, 43 and 91 haveone end port thereof connected with a control port in the control valve19 positioned at one side of the inlet port 130 while the portspositioned in the other ends of these cylinders are each connected witha respective control port positioned .at the opposite side of thecontrol valve inlet port. For instance, the plunger operating cylinder11 has the upper or rod end thereof connected to the control valve 19 bythe conduit 1'7 which is connected with the control port positioned nextto the inlet port of the control valve at the left hand side thereof,while the conduit 18 leading from the port 16 at the opposite end of thecylinder 11 is jointed with the control port positioned fartherest fromthe inlet port 130 in the group positioned at the right.

hand side of said inlet port.

The conduit 51 which is connected with the conduits 49 and 53 leadingfrom the respective ports 47 of the plunger box operating cylinders 43,is connected with the control port located in the group at the left ofthe inlet port and with the specific control port positioned fartherestfrom said inlet port, while the conduits 50 and 54 connected with saidcylinder ports 48 are united with a common conduit 52 connected with thegroup at the right of the inlet port and with the control portpositioned adjacent the inlet port 130; likewise the die operatingcylinder 91 has its ports 98 and 100 connected by conduits 99 and 101with the centrally located control ports in the groups positioned at theright and at the left of the inlet port 130 respectively.

Now, by considering the machine to be in the position illustrated inFigure 2, the control valve 19 will be in the position illustrated inFigure 4; that is, with the conduits 17, 52 and 99 in communicationthrough the piston chamber 119 with the inlet port 130 and with saidinlet port connected with a suitable conduit as 130' with a suitablesource of liquid supply, such as oil under high pressure. Said pressurewill be exerted through the respective cylinder ports 15. 48 and 98 tothe corresponding ends of said cylinders which will maintain the plunger23, the plunger box sections 25 and the die 60 in the positionillustrated in Figure 2, ready to form a casting; that is, the pistons44 in the cylinders 43 will be in the up position maintaining theplunger box sections 25 in flrm contact with each other and therebymaintain the grooves 30 of said sections in registration with each otherto maintain the delivery pot 31 intact.

The piston 20 in the cylinder 11 and, therefore, the plunger 23 will bemaintained in the 19Wermost position with the upper end of the plunger23 at the lower portion of the delivery pct 31 to form the bottom wallof said pot, it being understood that the grooves 30 in the plunger boxsections 25 are so constructed that the plunger 23 will have a closesliding fit in the delivery pot so that as the plunger is moved upwardlythrough the delivery pot to force the molten metal from the pot into thedie, all of the molten metal will be carried along by the upwardmovement of the plunger. Likewise the sprue die section 60 will befirmly maintained in contact with the upper face of the plunger boxsections 25 with the gate or sprue-forming passages 61 in communicationwith the upper end of the delivery pot 31 for receiving the molten metaltherethrough as the plunger is moved upwardly, by the action of thefluid under pressure on the upper end of the piston 90, exerting adownward pressure upon the inner adjacent ends of the rock arms 83through the medium of the rack 87. This action will exercise a greaterdownward thrust upon the die-supporting head '75 than the upward thrustproduced thereon in the cylinder 91 due to the leverage obtained by theparticularpivotal arrangement of the rock arms 83.

The ejector die'section 60" will also be positioned and maintained inoperative engagement with the sprue die section 60' by the togglemechanism 103 which will have been extended by' the rotating movement ofthe rock arms 83 in a manner hereinbefore described and the ejector pins64 will be positioned with their lower ends in registration with thewallof the die cavity to form a substantially smooth continuous surfacetherein. Now, by assuming that the delivery pct 31 is approximately fullof molten metal, it is evident that by manipulating the lever 140 tomove the piston 124 in the piston chamber 119 to the right in Figure 4to the limit of its inward stroke that the upper end of the plungercylinder 11 will be cut off from the pressure inlet 130 and be connectedwith the adjacent exhaust port 131 and, at the same time, the other orlower end of the cylinder will be connected with the pressure fluidentering through the valve inlet port 130 which will cause the piston 20and, therefore, the plunger 23 to be moved upwardly and therebypositively force the molten metal from the delivery pot through the gate61 into the die cavity.

This upward movement of the piston 20 will continue until the die cavityhas been completely filled with the molten metal at which time theupward movement of the plunger and piston will be arrested, which willmaintain the molten metal in the die under a very high degree ofpressure and thus force out any air from the molten metal which may havebeen collected therein during the previous operations and therebyproduce a very high'grade of castin: having an especially smooth surfaceand which is free from air holes.

Although the cylinder 11 and piston 20 for operating the plunger 23 aremuch larger in diameter than the cylinders 91 and piston 90 foroperating the die 60 and maintaining said die in casting relation withthe delivery pot, it will be remembered that both of these cylinders areconnected with the same source of pressure supply at the control valve19 and, therefore, each of the pistons 20 and 90 are actuated fromliquid, as oil, having the same pressure per square inch which willcause the piston 90 and the die 60 connected therewith to resist theupward thrust of the piston 20 and the plunger 23 and cause said piston20 and plunger 23 to come to an at rest position as the two pistons 20and 90 reach a balanced or static condition, even though the smallerpiston 90 did not operate as it does through the leverage afforded bythe pivotal arrangement of of the rock arms 83.

After the casting has been formed, the lever 140 will be manipulated tomove the piston 124 to the opposite end of the piston chamber 119.

As the piston moves along the chamber '119, thepiston 20 and plunger 23will first be returned to the normal down position due to the port 16being cut ofi from the pressure side of the valve 19 and connected withthe exhaust port 131 and the cylinder port 15 and conduit 17 connectedwith the valve inlet port 130. By the time the plunger commences itsreturn downward stroke, what excess metal remains in the delivery notafter the die cavity has been filled, will be solidified and as aportion of the metal will, of course collect in the recess 59 at theupper end of the deliverypot, this metal will remain at the upperportion of said pot in contact with the sprue contained in the spruepassage 61.

As the control valve piston 124 continues its return movement, liquidunder high pressure will next be admitted through the conduit 101 to thelower end of the die-actuating cylinder 91 which will cause the pistons90 to travel upwardly and thereby lift the die 60 from the upper face ofthe plunger box sections 25 wherein remains the surplus metal not usedin making the casting. As this surplus metal is by now solidified, itwill be rigidly held in the plunger box by the recess 59, and the spruewill be broken therefrom at its smallest sectional area.

At about the time the die 60 has traveled far enough to cause thisbreaking of the sprue, the screws 114 connected with the lings 104 willhave traveled the length of the elongated slots 115 in the rock arms 83and this will cause the links 104 to be rocked about the pins 85 withthe rock arms 83 during the remainder of the travel of said arms whichwill cause the ejector die section 60" to travel upwardly away from thesprue die section 60 due to the folding action of the toggle mechanism103 thereby opening the die 60 and as the piston reaches the end of itsupward stroke cause the casting to be removed from the die by the actionof the ejector pin 64 in the manner hereinbefore described. In themeantime, as the control valve piston 124 reaches the limit of itsoutward stroke, fluid under pressure will be admitted through the ports47 to the upper ends of the respective cylinders 43 thereby causing thedownward movement of the pistons 44 contained in said cylinders and theconsequent outward movement of the respective plunger box sections 25which will release the excess casting material collected in the upperportion of the delivery pot in the manner hereinbefore described.

The machine is now ready to begin the operation for making the nextcasting.

The lever 140 is first actuated to move the piston 124 inwardly toconnect the lower ports 48 of each of the plunger box actuating sectioncylinders 43 with the pressure side of the valve 19. This will cause theupward movement of the pistons 44 contained therein and the return ofthe plunger box sections 25 into cooperative relation to form thedelivery pot 31. Molten metal may now be poured by any suitable means,herein not necessary to describe, into the delivery pot 31 after whichthe piston 124 is moved to connect the upper end of the die-actuatingcylinder 91 with the fluid under pressure which will cause the diesections 60 and 60 to return to the casting relation with the deliverypot and with each other.

The machine is now in the position illustrated in Figure 2 and the cycleof movement just described may be repeated for each casting desired.

Although there has been shown and-particularly described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is not wished to be limited to theexact details and arrangement of the construction shown as variouschanges may readily be made without departing from the spirit of thisinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. ma die-casting machine, a delivery pot having an outlet opening andcomprising a plurality of box sections, means for moving the saidsections into co-operative relation to form the delivery pot, a diemovable into and out of casting relation with the delivery pot andadapted to form a closure'for the outlet opening, and a plunger adaptedwhen the box sections are in cooperative relation, to eject metal fromthe pot into said die.

2. In a die-casting machine, a base, a plunger mounted for longitudinalmovement in said base, a plunger box provided with an openingtherethrough to form a delivery pot having substantially the same crosssectional area as the plunger for receiving said plunger, a die movableinto casting relation with one end of said delivery pot to form aclosure therefor, and means for maintaining the die in casting relationwith the delivery pot during the movement of the plunger.

3. In a die-casting machine, a sectional delivery pot having an outlet,a die having a sprue opening, means for moving said die to bring thesprue opening thereof into casting relation with said outlet, a plungermounted for reciprocative movement in the delivery pot for ejectingmolten metal from said pot through the sprue opening into the die, meansprovided in the delivery pot for maintaining the excess metal at theforward end thereof during the return movement of the plunger, and meansfor actuating said delivery pot sections to release said excess metal.

4. In a die-casting machine, a sectional delivery pot having one endnormally open, a die having a sprue opening, means for moving said dieto form a closure for the delivery pot and to bring the sprue openingthereof into registration with said pot, means for ejecting the moltenmetal from the delivery pot through the sprue opening into the die,means provided in the delivery pot for maintaining the excess metal inthe pot as the die is moved from engagement therewith, and means foractuating said delivery pot to release said excess metal.

5. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot, a sectional diemember and a die-supporting head mounted on said base for rectilinearmovement toward and from said pot, means securing one of the diesections to the head in fixed spaced relation thereto, means slidablysupporting the other die section intermediate the firsimentioned sectionin said head, operating means including a toggle mechanism connectingthe head with said second-mentioned die section for producing relativemovements of the die sections toward and from each other, and separatemeans actuated by the operating means and pivotally connected to thebase and to the head for actuating said head to bring the die sectionsinto casting relation with the pot.

6. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot, a sectional diemember, die-supporting means mounted on the base and movable toward andfrom said pot, operating means connected with the die-supporting meansfor moving said die sections into and out of cooperative relation witheach other, and separate means pivotally connected with the base andwith the supporting means and actuated by said operating means forbringing the die sections into casting relation with the pot.

'7. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot supported by thebase, a sectional die member, guide means mounted on the base, a diesupporting head mounted on said guide, means for longitudinal movementtoward and from said pot, means rigidly connecting said head with one01' the die sections, a toggle mechanism connecting the head with theother die section, operating means mounted on the head for actuating thetoggle mechanism to produce a relative movement of the die sectionstoward and from each other, and means pivotally connecting said headwith a fixed support and operably connected with the operating means foractuating said head to move the die sections into and out of castingrelation with the delivery pot.

8. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot supported by saidbase, a sectional die member, a die-supporting head mounted forlongitudinal movement towards and from said pot, means rigidlyconnecting said head with one of the die sections, a toggle mechanismconnecting the head with the other die section, actuating means mountedon said head, a rock armoperably connected with the actuating means andpivotally connected with said head and with the base to cause the diesections to be moved into and out of casting relation with the deliverypot, and means connecting the rock arm with the toggle mechanism foroperating said toggle to produce a relative movement 01' the diesections and permit an initial movement of the die sections in unison assaid sections are moved out of engagement with the delivery pot.

9. In a die-casting machine. a movable sprue die-supporting plate, amovable ejector die-supporting plate, a plurality of guide rails, a headmember mounted for longitudinal reciprocative movement upon the guiderails, said head being rigidly connected with one of said plates to movetherewith, a tog le mechanism connecting the head with the otherdie-supporting plate, a cylinder mounted on the head, a piston movablein said cylinder, pivoted supporting rock arms rotatably mounted on saidhead and operably connected with said piston to produce a retardedrelative movement of the head and piston to thereby effect the movementof the head and die-supporting plates along said rails, means connectingsaid rock arms with the toggle mechanism whereby said toggle mechanismwill be actuated to effect a relative movement of said die plates afteran initial movement of said rock arms, and means for actuating saidpistons.

10. In a die-casting machine, plunger box sections adapted to be movedinto operative relation to form a delivery pot, a die movable intocasting relation with said delivery pot when said sections are inoperative relation, a plunger adapted to eject metal from the deliverypot into said die, separate fluid pressure actuated means connected withsaid die, plunger and each of the plunger box sections, and a singlevalve mechanism adapted to control the flow of the fluid to cause thesuccessive operations of said plunger, die and plunger box sections.

11. In a die-casting machine, a delivery pot having an outlet andcomprising a plurality of box sections, means for moving said sectionsinto cooperative relation to form the delivery pot, a die adapted toform a closure for said outlet, and means for ejecting the metal fromthe delivery pot. when said sections are in operative relation into saiddie.

12. In a die-casting machine, a delivery pot having an outlet andcomprising a plurality of box sections movable into and out ofcooperative relation to form the delivery pot, a die adapted to form aclosure for said outlet, means for releasably locking said sectionsagainst relative movement when in their cooperative relation, and meansfor ejecting the metal from the delivery pot when said sections are inoperative relation.

13. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot having an outletopening and comprising a plurality of box sections slidably mounted onsaid base, means for simultaneously moving said sections into and out ofcooperative relation to form the delivery pot, a die adapted to form aclosure for said outlet, and a plunger mounted in said base adapted toeject the metal from the pot when said delivery pots are in cooperativerelation.

14. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot comprising aplurality of sections slidably mounted on said base, rock arms pivotallymounted on the base at the outside of said sections, links pivotallyconnecting said arms with a delivery pot section, means for rocking saidarms to bring the delivery pot sections into and out of cooperativerelation, and means for limiting the pivotal movement of the arms in onedi-- rection when said arms and links are in the extended position forreleasably locking said sections against relative movement when in theircooperative relation, and means for ejecting metal from the pot when thedie sections are in cooperative relation.

15. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot comprising aplurality of sections slidably mounted on said base, rock arms pivotallymounted on the base at the outside of said sections, links pivotallyconnecting said arms with a delivery pot section, fluid-actuated meansconnected'with said arms and means for admitting fluid under pressure tosaid fluid-actuated means to cause the delivery pot sections to moveinto and out of cooperative relation, and means for ejecting the metalfrom the pot when the die sections are in operative relation.

16. In a die-casting machine, a base, a delivery pot comprising aplurality of sections slidably mounted on said base, rock arms pivotallymounted on said base at the outside of said sections, links pivotallyconnecting said arms with the delivery pot section, cylinders pivotallyconnected with the base, pistons movable in said I cylinders andpivotally connected with said arms, and means for simultaneouslyadmitting fluid under pressure into said cylinders to cause the deliverypot sections to simultaneously move into and out of cooperativerelation.

17. In a die-casting machine, a movable sprue die-supporting plate, amovable ejector die-supporting plate, a plurality of guide rails, a headmember mounted for longitudinal reciprocative movement upon the guiderails, said head being rigidly connected with one of said plates to movetherewith, a toggle mechanism connecting the head with the otherdie-supporting plate, a cylinder mounted on the head, a piston movablein said cylinder, a rack secured to the piston to move therewith,pivoted supporting rock arms rotatably mounted on said head and havinggear teeth meshing with said rack to produce a retarded relativemovement of the head and piston to thereby effect the movement of thehead and die-supporting plates along said rails, means connecting saidrock arms with the toggle mechanism whereby said toggle mechanism willbe actuated to efiect a relative movement of said die plates, and meansfor actuating said piston.

18. In a die-casting machine, a movable sprue die-supporting plate, amovable ejector diesupporting plate, a plurality of guide rails, a headmember mounted for longitudinal reciprocative movement upon the guiderails, said head being rigidly connected with one of said plates to movetherewith, a toggle mechanism connecting the head with the otherdie-supporting plate, a. cylinder mounted on the head, a piston movablein said cylinder, a rack secured to the piston to move therewith,pivoted supporting rock arms rotatably mounted on said head and havinggear teeth meshing with said rack to produce a retarded relativemovement of the head and piston to thereby efiect the movement of thehead and die-supporting plates along said rails, said rock arm having apin and slot connection with the toggle mechanism whereby said togglemechanism will be actuated to efiect a relative movement of said dieplates after an initial movement of said rock arms, and means foractuating said piston.

19. In a die-casting machine, a base, a plurality of guide rails mountedon said base, a head member mounted for longitudinal reciprocativemovement upon the guide rails, a sprue diesupporting plate rigidlysecured to said head to move therewith, an ejector die-supporting plateslidably mounted on said guide rails, a toggle mechanism connecting thehead with the ejector die-supporting plate, a cylinder mounted on thehead, a piston movable in said cylinder, a rack secured to the piston tomove therewith, supporting rock arms pivotally connected with the baseand rotatably mounted on said head, said rock arms having teeth meshingwith said rack to produce a retarded relative movement of the head andpiston to thereby effect the movement of the head and die-supportingplates along said rails, means connecting said rock arms with the togglemechanism whereby said toggle mechanism will be actuated to efiect arelative movement of said die plates, and means for actuating saidpiston.

20. In a die-casting machine, a plurality of box sections mounted formovement toward and from each other, a plunger mounted intermediate saidsections, means for producing relative movement of the box sections andplunger to form a delivery pot having an outlet, and means for actuatingsaid plunger to eject metal from the pot through said outlet.

21. In a die-casting machine, a plurality of box sections mounted formovement toward and from each other, a plunger mounted intermediate saidsections, and operating means for successively producing relativemovement of the box sections and plunger to form a delivery pot havingan outlet and for actuating said plunger to eject metal from the potthrough said outlets.

NATHAN LESTER.

